"I really did it, huh?" Leaun lay in a hospital bed, looking at the white roof. The Betamorion and Saltorian didn't share an infirmary in this battle, meaning that Leaun was lying there alone.
"You are smiling right now, Watcher?" Leaun asked, sitting up, grunting in pain while doing so. He smiled and sighed.
"SO you are awake." Iliya came walking in, followed by Vindur.
"Hey, miss." Leaun looked at her. She walked over to him, taking off her hat.
"You have my gratitude, Leaun." She bowed her head. He shook his head.
"I'm actually grateful for you. I've been searching for a glorious way to die since Watcher was executed. Losing my guiding light was tremendously difficult. Not knowing what to do or where to go. I just opened the bar to hear sob stories, withering away in my own despair." He looked at her with calm and kind eyes.
"Yet now, I found someone I could follow again. I will devote myself to protecting the Betamorion led by you, Miss Hanabi." He held out his hand toward her. She smiled and nodded, placing both hands on his and crumbling it together, pushing it softly back.
"I'm only following the will of the people of Betamorion, Leaun. If you wanna help me, then help Betamorion. It's time for you to have your own ideals and ideas, but for now, start by getting better." She smiled warmly. Leaun nodded and lay back on the bed.
"So, who is up next?" Leaun asked.
"Your very own student. Kotoha is going into the field now." Iliya said. Leaun went silent.
"You didn't like the idea, to begin with, having civilians participate," Iliya said. Leaun shook his head.
"At first, I thought it was necessary. Yet, when I see her cheer like she did for Hunter and even for me. I see a kind woman, someone who couldn't hurt a fly. I trained her for combat, but I think she will have a hard time. She doesn't know the pain of spilling someone's blood." Leaun explained. Vindur nodded.
"We are trained warriors, but Librisca and Kotoha are civilians. I think they have never truly hurt anyone. So, Why did we choose her so early in the tournament?" Vindur asked.
"Because her next opponent is a good match for her. That's all." Iliya looked at Vindur.
"You should know it more than anyone." She continued with a stern look. Vindur just nodded.
"Someone has to face that ability and in terms of power. I think she is the only match we truly had." Vindur said. The two nodded.
"Who is she facing?" Leaun asked.
"A teenager with the name Arti Sylv and a very dangerous power named Combat Creation," Iliya said.
A soft sound of a cane hitting the ground and small footsteps echoed in the hall.
"You sure you gonna be okay, Arti?" Malmy asked, walking next to him.
"You said I was facing a woman, right? Named Kotoha Waru." The boy looked at her with a smile.
"Yes, but aren't you worried?" Malmy asked.
"Oh, not at all. I'm just doing my duty as a citizen, aren't I?" He continued to walk, stopping as he looked over his shoulder.
"Why are you all the way over there, Ricky?" He asked.
"Call me, Faust." Faust walked up to them.
"Hahaha." Arti began laughing, continuing to walk.
"I don't know what Jessica is doing. I thought you were gonna be pardoned to fight. We only added you to our ranks because we were missing someone. It was supposed to be a steamroll, and then we could go home." Faust snarled.
"Easy now, my friend. I will be okay. I might be blind, but I should be okay." He sounded calm.
"I did ask her to send me in instead, though, yet she declined." Faust snarled. Arti smiled warmly, reaching out, placing a hand on Faust's cheek.
"Oh, do not worry, my friend. I know you've always been protective of me, but today you have to let me fly off the nest." Arti kept walking.
"So, where are we going again?" Faust shook his head and continued to walk.
"We are going to the Betamorion side," Arti said. Faust sighed.
"You wanna meet her?" Malmy asked.
"Of course, I think it would be nice to have a conversation before what is to come," Arti said.
"We should be here now. The door is in front of you. We will go back. You can make it back on your own, right?" Malmy asked.
"Yes, thank you. I will head for the arena gate after. So this might be our last time talking." Arti turned to them, stomping his cane into the ground.
